WHILE there are no guarantees to avoid an audit, there are creative ways to attract one. Below are 12 easy ways to increase your audit profile. Try any combination to help the IRS zero in on your return: 1. Opt out of e-file to use a name different from the one that appears on your…
Q: I WORK as an hourly employee for a private business. There are days when I work more than 8 hours per day. However, instead of paying me overtime, my employer gives me comp time for the hours I worked. What are my rights regarding this employment practice? A:California law allows non-exempt employees to receive,…
YOU can’t hear enough about the fact that mortgage rates are at record lows! Its absolutely true, I have been in the mortgage and RE business for over 25 years and when I started everyone was refinancing out of a 12% rate to a 9% rate back in the later 80’s. Here we are in…
IF YOU are searching for debt reduction solutions, no doubt you’ve been inundated with advertisements for various debt management programs, companies and solutions. The choices seem confusing to the average consumer. The truth is that every situation is different and what may work perfectly for others is not necessarily going to work the same way…
PEOPLE with heavy debt think that they have serious problems in life that are almost unbearable. “Attorney, we can’t sleep because our creditors are hounding us day and night! They threaten us with lawsuits and wage garnishment and bank levies!” Well, yes, if you have too much debt, it does create a financial problem for…
IF YOU run your own business, consider employing your children this summer vacation. Employing your children gives you a triple benefit: 1. It teaches your children the virtue of work and the value of money. 2. It could save you around 27 percent by shifting income down from a maximum rate of 35 percent for…
BEDFORD Care Group, Inc., a company that operates six assisted living facilities in Fresno County, was recently cited by the labor agency, for violating California’s employment laws including unpaid minimum wage, unpaid overtime, meal and rest break violations, and failure to issue itemized wage statements. The employer was ordered to back-pay eleven residential caregivers a…
“Homes that are under water have only a few option to refinance their mortgages, the HARP programs is probably your best bet but it’s not for everyone and there are restrictions.” THE Home Affordable Refinance Program expansion helps today’s historically low rates become available to customers who have an existing mortgage loan owned by Fannie…
FILING Chapter 13 bankruptcy is often a last resort for people in foreclosure when no other options exist. A lot of homeowners usually put off making this decision for a long time until they find themselves backed into a corner with no way out. Most of the time they’ll attempt to do a loan modification…
DEBTS are a big headache for many people. In my last article, I suggested that if you had problems with debt you should rely on Psalm 23 for comfort. It says that you should rely on the Lord for He will guide you to the right path. Then what is the right path to get…
CALLER: Hi Ken, I have been following your columns for many years and they are very informative and delightful. I am turning 60 and want to buy a home again. I am retiring in a couple more years and would like your opinion on this subject. I sold my house in 2006 because I read…
Background A LIMITED Liability Company is referred to as “LLC.” A husband and wife can form an LLC for their real estate properties. You can choose the type of entity for tax purposes by “checking the box” for either partnership, corporation, or disregarded entity. A formal partnership has to file a separate partnership tax return….
WHEN insurance companies issue a policy, they promise that they will take care of their policyholders when they suffer a serious loss to their home, their car, or their health. Life insurers promise that beneficiaries will be provided the benefits when they die. Disability insurers promise that payments will be made in the event of…
Many people admit that they only visit the dentist when they feel something is wrong. If you don’t wait until it’s too late, your visit can be comfortable and convenient. YES, we all live on budgets, right? When life throws us a curve ball, it can be tempting to postpone our dental treatments. Resist that…
CHAPTER 13 is the section of the US Bankruptcy Code that allows individuals in the United States to reorganize their finances. If you are having difficulty paying your debts (credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, taxes, late mortgage payments and property taxes- all kinds of debts) due to insufficient income, don’t despair. Chapter 13 may…
“ As already explained, there is no question that the debtor subjectively intended to cause injury to INB’s interest in the residence. The debtor admitted to being involved in removing property from the residence and directing what she unconvincingly characterized as a remodeling project,” the court said.” SECTION 523(a)(6) of the bankruptcy code states that…
A LIMITED Liability Company (LLC) is a new form of hybrid business association that combines the advantages of a corporation with the flexibility of a partnership. Let’s explore the advantages & disadvantages of this popular entity. Advantages of LLCs 1. Liabilities are limited to the equity invested by each member. 2. It gives some form…
ACCIDENTS that result in serious injuries affect the injured person and his/her family in significant ways. Rights to medical treatments, including who should pay for past and future medical expenses, and loss of earnings, may become issues. Physical pains may be accompanied by emotional suffering as the person feels helpless and isolated, unable to pursue…
Whether it’s a sports injury, a slip and fall, or perhaps a confrontation with a boxing wannabe, you or someone in your company may suffer the bad luck of having a permanent tooth knocked out or loose. From oral irritations to dental disasters, your dentist is your best source of information on how to best…
FOR a lot of people, financial concerns can be their number one cause of stress. We are living in difficult financial times and a lot of people are worried about how they can get by from month to month. But worrying doesn’t really solve anything. If you feel that your finances are out of whack,…
SUFFERING is part of the human condition. Adam and Eve introduced pain and suffering to mankind when they ate of the forbidden fruit. Adam blamed Eve for convincing him to partake of the fruit that would give them the knowledge of good and evil, so the tempter, the devil in paradise said to Eve. Before…
1. E-FILE. When you e-file, your chance of getting an error notice from the IRS is significantly reduced. Besides, it’s faster. Your refunds arrive sooner. 2. Check your occupation. Your occupation must be consistent with your income and expenses. A waiter without tip income is inconsistent. So is an investor with no dividend income, real…
A DISABILITY insurance policy pays benefits when you are unable to work because of injury or illness. This allows you to meet your financial obligations, such as mortgage payments, or medical bills, while unable to work. Disability policies usually pay a fixed amount for a set period of time, such as five years or up…
HOUSES may not be homes, but homes could certainly be houses people live in. What happened in this previous housing crisis taught us an important lesson. Economic and demographic changes may severely impact the value of houses when its time to sell. We live now in an “Ideas Economy” with a shrinking industrial base and…
LAST month, we discussed how unpaid wages were sought in a class action lawsuit filed against Dole Food Company by employees who claimed they were not paid for the time they spent putting on mandatory protective and sanitary clothing. Other companies had similar practices where off-the-clock work was not paid. Best Buy, for instance, required…
I HAVE recently been following this website called, SellYourHome.com it has a lot of interesting topics about the real estate industry including a certain topics about homeowners in need of Mortgage Salvation thru Loan Modification. Now days, here are my thoughts on how our housing crisis is unfolding. To observe the crisis we have been…
SOMETIMES parents put their children’s names on title to their residence even if the parents intend to keep the residence as their own as they continue to pay all expenses connected to their residence. The usual reason is for estate planning purposes of the parents. A major problem arises when the residence has a lot…
YOUR debt problems may be undeniable. You know they are there and they will not go away until you do something about them. Perhaps at some point, you took the first step towards a resolution but failed to follow through. This week, I received a frantic call from a woman who found out that her…
MANY clients tell me that they cannot sleep and suffering much because their creditors are hounding them day and night. The IRS has garnished their wages. They are being sued and their bank accounts levied upon. If you are in this situation, think of the sufferings that Job went through. Who is Job? He was…
LET’S enjoy some of Murphy’s Laws as we recover from tax season stress. Law of the alibi If you tell the boss you were late for work because of a flat tire, you will have a flat tire the very next morning. Law of the bath The probability of your telephone ringing is directly proportional…
